


Blade Heart (刃心)

by DoggieCornerW



Series: Dragon Marked for Death small tales [1]
Category: Dragon Marked For Death (Video Game)
Genre: Canon - Video Game, Character Study, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:34:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21713836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoggieCornerW/pseuds/DoggieCornerW
Summary: The story of the Shinobi character. Before the massacre of the Dragonbloods, he was tasked to hunt down his best friend.
Relationships: Shinobi/Amica
Series: Dragon Marked for Death small tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566907
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	Blade Heart (刃心)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OneEyedRiot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneEyedRiot/gifts), [CptRedder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CptRedder/gifts), [da_gecko_stingray](https://archiveofourown.org/users/da_gecko_stingray/gifts).



> Did this on a whim to keep myself occupied.  
> https://twitter.com/GunvoltOfficial/status/1085008671753625601

In Lemria, a land created from a slain dragon, there were mortals that live deep in the continent’s central mountains in seclusion. Among them, some trained in ascetic practices; however their culture carried a shadow of networking. It was to snoop around the surrounding holy nations, which scoffed them.

“Wait, please Shino (忍)!” The kind voice of Amica arrested his steps, along with the resolve of a boy who was going to embark on a taxing mission requiring a cold heart.

“Do you have to do this?”

“Tomoaki (共昭) left for Marlayus. It is Master’s order.”

“Despite our blood, we are a peaceful people.” Amica would not allow tales of ancient iniquity subjugate where one belonged. She did not want to see anyone bear arms and shed blood for any reason. However, among the ninja Dragonblood, life or death, weak and strong, was still a reality.

“I know. That’s why I must stop him.” The boy wanted to leave as soon as possible before his heart strings were pulled, and dissuaded from the mission. With the equal amount of stubbornness that kept his cold heart together, Shino felt Amica’s grip on his hand tighten.

“You don’t want to do it, don’t you?” She asked. “I can sense it within you.”

His friend fled to the eastern islands. To be followed that far, Tomo would be surprised; failing to stop the Shinobi, Amica would miss him. In fact, Shino mulled over her words during his travel to Marlayus. It was a unique eastern region where a Lord gathered Dragonblood to his castle to live without strife.

* * *

“Shit!”

“Is that how it’s going to be? You will awaken the curse from your scar? To attack me?”

Shino's head bowed, a weight on him; he knew what he must do.

“Shino! Our scars are the key to getting out that shithole. Let’s use master’s aesthetic practices to make our clan prosper before it’s too late. That’s all I want! We can do so much more. We can save everybody.”

From behind his bangs, Shino fired a scolding glare, expressing that Tomoaki knew not to tamper with their blood’s Asura energies for any reason. He also knew that because of Atruum’s demonic reputation, the Dragonblood held onto peace.

“Please Shino!”

The plea was upon deaf ears. He had to stop the fixation of Atruum’s scars, which fed on negative feelings such greed, anguish and pain. Evil. When flying blades flew and swayed through air and flesh like crescent moons, strange thoughts entered Shino’s mind.

Was Master cruel? What was the purpose in a friend to kill a friend? Was it more than just the mission and acknowledging Shino’s skill? Did Master want Shino to be filled with trepidation and comply with it quietly? Wanted him to become strong by facing something so strenuous? Did Master consent with Amica and want Shino to crush any Dragonblood’s thoughts of taking impulsive action to “rise from the ashes”? Or did Master consent with Medius and wanted the clan to lay low in restraint?

It could be all of the reasons.

The Dragonblood were less than slaves; to believe in Atruum, who saved them, they were thought to defile the very world. Raised in rural poverty, Tomoaki didn’t want riches or to become a knight, but somehow wanted to aspire for the better. His ninja practices showed his potential and he could only bear love for the clan. That pride in skill probably led him to break village law and risk being hunted.

 _I’m sorry_ , Shino thought. He struck his friend down. Tomoaki, the last vision he had while collapsed on a castle wall, was the silhouette of his friend. Shino bowed his head; Tomoaki smiled warmly as a corpse.

The irony of this mission -- it would be the shinobi boy’s saving grace, but at the cost of everything else. When he returned to the village from Marlayus, Shino was already heavy with regret. He steeled himself to tell his master that the mission was complete; he imagined that it would be nauseating later. It even rained in the Dragonblood Village.

It was a perplexing feeling. Instead of seeing one body of a friend, who which he killed and stared at for many minutes, ailing him days, Shino saw much more.

Pluming, bitter smoke from fire that died recently; houses and the land torn to shreds by weapons from the claws and teeth of gods. A destructive sight appeared at home. Master had said that youth should not be ignorant of violence. It should be witnessed whenever he could to prepare for its shock.

After Tomoaki in Maralyus, it was now Master’s body that caught Shino’s eye. The old man’s corpse lay among singed land, and so did others. The bodies of comrade among another strew together in a piled road. the village was completely warped underneath the rain clouds.

It was indeed God to lay down such destruction. The Kingdom of Medius had come. Amica was no where to be found, taken by the Divine Family.

Did subduing the scar among each other truly mattered?

On that rainy day, Shino was left on his knees, holding his master, with no one to hear him howl out his anguish.


End file.
